


Keep Him Safe

by Impala_Cherry_Trickster



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), BAMF Hunith (Merlin), Canon Era, Fluff, M/M, Merlin is a Little Shit, Mother-Son Relationship, Oblivious Merlin (Merlin), Protective Arthur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:07:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25125175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impala_Cherry_Trickster/pseuds/Impala_Cherry_Trickster
Summary: Arthur goes to Hunith for some advice
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 395





	Keep Him Safe

Arthur paused outside the home, rose his hand, then drew it back to his chest. This was ridiculous, he shouldn’t be here, bothering someone when he could deal with the issue by himself. After all, he had been pretending for long enough, why should it be so hard to keep going?

No, he had to tell the truth. And he couldn’t risk Merlin fleeing, which meant he needed the help of somebody that had known Merlin had Magic for a very long time. With his decision made, he rose his hand and knocked on the door firmly, ready for it to swing open.

Instead, someone cleared their throat from behind him, and the King of Camelot almost jumped out of his skin. He turned, found the woman behind him, smiling softly.

‘Your Majesty.’ He eyed Hunith up, looked back to the door, then sighed.

‘You were there the entire time?’ From the smirk on her face, so similar to Merlin’s that it was almost creepy, he was right. She’d watched him stand in front of this door for a good while, debating whether to knock.

‘Come on in, whatever it is must be important, for you to stare at my door until it almost burned down.’ She was still respectful, still bowed her head to him despite how he had assured her that she had no need to do so. The inside of the home was similar to how he last saw it, Hunith moving across to stock the fire up before gesturing down to the bench.

‘I’ll prepare some food.’ He had learned from his last trip that he was to be respectful to her, to accept the fact that the food out here was nothing like what he was used to. A short while later, a broth was placed in front of him, and Arthur was surprised to find his stomach rumbling.

‘Now, what brings you here, my boy?’ She settled opposite him, Arthur taking a mouthful of the food and swallowing. It warmed him up, helped settle the nerves that had built up on the ride to Ealdor, and he managed to meet her eye.

‘How do I tell Merlin that I know of his Magic?’ For a moment, he saw the terror that played out on her face. The worry that Arthur would have him executed, or banished, and would never let him be seen again. A mother’s fear, the desire to protect, before it shifted when she understood the words he had just asked her.

‘How long have you known?’ She asked gently, her hand itching like she wanted to move it across to rest on his. He would not have minded, truth be told, but he knew she still saw him as a King, more than the man that he wished to be viewed as.

‘I think I’ve known for a while. It makes sense, how he manages to survive where even the greatest of Camelot’s Knights have failed.’ That caused her lips to quirk into a smile, the bright eyes so similar to Merlin that he momentarily missed his manservant.

‘Merlin’s never been subtle.’ She agreed with a chuckle, Arthur snorting.

‘That’s an understatement. He practically shouted a spell at a bandit the other day. It’s a miracle that my Knights don’t know.’ Hunith looked amused, before it faded to guilt, and Arthur sighed.

‘They know, don’t they.’ An apologetic glance, followed by Hunith offering him out some bread to dip into the broth.

‘I believe Sir Lancelot, Gwaine and Percival are aware of his gift.’ Gift. He’d never really spoken about this aloud, only when he was alone in his Chambers and brooding over the fact Merlin had lied to him for years.

‘He inspires loyalty better than I do.’ Arthur grumbled, dabbing at the broth and trying not to feel slightly rejected by the fact that they all knew, yet Merlin still did not trust him. Despite the fact he had reconciled with Morgana, and the two of them were trying to bring Magic back to the lands of Albion.

‘That isn’t true, Arthur. You’re the strongest King Albion’s ever seen. Only you would have managed to change the fear and hatred that came before you, into a happiness that had spread so quickly.’ Finally, the hand came to rest on top of his. Calloused, yet oddly soft skin, chewed nails and cracked where they had been uncared for. Arthur let the touch ground him, wondered if his Mother would have been anywhere near as loving as the woman in front.

‘Then why do I not know how to tell Merlin that I’m aware of his Magic?’ She moved closer, until he could breathe in the smell of bread and ash, of the pine trees that always accompanied Merlin’s clothing. Strange, how the two of them were so alike.

‘Follow your heart. It’s never guided you wrong so far.’ A thumb brushed along his knuckles, paused at the Pendragon ring that reminded him he was still a King, not a boy looking for approval.

‘I’ve hurt his kind.’

‘And you’ve shown how you are willing to change. Merlin would not be there if he didn’t love you, Arthur.’ The word caused him to wince, it was far too dangerous to even think about. She watched him knowingly, like she understood the exact thoughts running through his head. Her fingers wrapped around his hand, squeezed in reassurance, a sad smile that Arthur wished to replace with something real crossing her face.

‘Even if you can’t tell him the same.’ He couldn’t love Merlin, that was the entire point of this. One manservant, one idiotic, clumsy man had managed to change his life so rapidly that Arthur was suffering from the same feeling as when he was bucked free from a horse. Falling, without a way to see the bottom.

‘He runs into such danger, with no regard for himself.’ Hunith chuckled, her fingers moving to the cut that ran across his forehead. It was from a recent Hunt, an incident with a bandit that Merlin’s Magic hadn't quite reached in time. Her finger tracked along the edge, before she rose up and collected a small satchel. He didn’t stop her when she took out what he presumed to be a cleaning liquid, wondered just how much Gaius had taught her.

‘Much like you, then?’ She quipped, dabbing at the cut gently. It stung, but not as much as the affection, Arthur relaxing into the touch.

‘I’m the King. Danger comes with the Crown.’

‘Your Knights would die to protect you, so why not Merlin?’ A soothing paste was applied, cool to the touch, before she moved her hand away. He missed it almost instantly, smiled when she reached for a small comb.

‘Would you mind if I…?’

‘Not at all.’ He quickly reassured her, watched Hunith’s smile as she moved to stand behind him, fingers reaching for his hair.

‘Merlin’s not supposed to get hurt.’ Arthur grumbled, while allowing her hands to run through the mess. He hadn't had it cut in a while, it was getting far too long, yet she untangled it with ease.

‘Both of you boys need to learn that your loyalty to each other has no end.’ She made a good point, and Arthur conceded to that fact. A comfortable silence fell, in which Hunith hummed under her breath as she worked.

‘You’re good at this.’ He muttered, and the Mother’s smile was enough to have him feeling warm.

‘I used to do the same for Merlin. He always managed to come back with an entire hedge in his hair.’ That sounded like Merlin, Arthur thought, smiling at the thought of a younger Merlin in such a bedraggled state.

‘Even a King is allowed to need comfort, Arthur.’ She whispered gently, a hand resting on his shoulder, and despite the armour, he could feel the touch sear into his skin.

‘Thank you.’ He said sincerely, wondering how he would ever repay her. Hunith’s fingers resumed the work of untangling his hair, and Arthur quickly forgot all about his troublesome manservant.

**

‘You’re being too nice.’ Merlin accused, slowly approaching the chair like it might bite him. Arthur waited until he had taken the seat, pushed aside his breakfast and eyed up his manservant. Merlin looked worried, like he was ready to jump at any moment, and Arthur decided it was best to just be blunt. After all, Hunith was right. They were both blind to the things that they needed most.

‘With the upcoming changes to the laws on Magic, I was wondering if you’d like the position of Court Sorcerer?’ It had the desired effect, Merlin’s eyes widening and his mouth dropping open in the most unattractive of ways. At least, he tried to tell himself it was unattractive, although his mind was disagreeing with such a thing.

‘What?’ He bluntly asked, and Arthur hid his smile as he shrugged.

‘It seems only right, you are the only person I could see by my side.’ It had hinted at something that he wasn’t quite sure if he was ready to admit, but then Merlin was smiling, smiling so brightly that everything else seemed to slip away. His eyes were watering, but Arthur knew he was happy, and he felt slightly smug that he’d managed to gain such a reaction.

‘How long…’

‘Oh Merlin, you’re really not that subtle.’

The laugh was worth everything.


End file.
